Report: Cody Ponce to Start for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday Night

BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: Cody Ponce #44 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers during a spring training game at LECOM Park on March 02, 2021 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: Cody Ponce #44 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers during a spring training game at LECOM Park on March 02, 2021 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette right-handed pitcher Cody Ponce will make his 2021 debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night

Veteran starting pitcher Trevor Cahill left his last start in the 2nd inning with a calf strain. This led to the Pittsburgh Pirates placing Cahill on the 10-day injured list and putting themselves in need of a starting pitcher for Tuesday night’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs.

At first it appeared that highly touted pitching prospect Miguel Yajure would start for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. However, this will not be the case. Instead, it looks like the Pirates will be going with another righty.

According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 27-year-old Cody Ponce will start for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Ponce was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Milwaukee Brewers in July 2019 in exchange for pitcher Jordan Lyles. Last season Ponce made his MLB debut, logging 17 innings for the Pirates in 5 games (3 starts). In his first 17 MLB innings Ponce posted a strong 3.18 ERA, however, he walked 9.1% of batters faced, struck out just 18.2% and allowed home runs at a rate of 2.65 HR/9.

Ponce also benefitted from a .163 batting average on balls in play. This BAbip is 134 points below the league average of .300 which indicates that Ponce is due for some major regression to the norm. His 6.66 FIP and 6.90 DRA both indicate that Ponce was not nearly as effective last season as his ERA would indicate.

With the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians Ponce had made 2 starts and made one relief appearance this season. In these 3 games Ponce pitched 11.2 innings, posting a 5.40 ERA and a 4.67 FIP. He walked 7.5% of batters faced ,struck out 20.8% and allowed a pair of home runs.

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Choosing Ponce over Yajure is an interesting choice by the Pirates. Ponce does not have anywhere near the pure stuff of Yajure and is not in the same stratosphere as a prospect. Yajure has also flashed more in his MLB time than Ponce has, and, unlike Ponce, Yajure appears to be a big part of the future for the Pirates.